climate negotiations, climate injustice, and biofuels production in argentina

CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS, CLIMATE INJUSTICE, AND BIOFUELS PRODUCTION IN

ARGENTINA

Stella Seminostella.semino@mail.dk

Grupo de Reflexión Rural,

Member of the Climate Justice Coalition

Oslo, 4th April 2008

ARGENTINA AND THE KYOTO TREATY

• Argentina is not subject to GHGE reduction targets, as most industrialised nations are. As Kyoto treaty signatory, the country adopted a number of legal tools allowing it to implement the international regime in different activities.

The government acknowledges the future climatic inconveniences but also sees

opportunities

The environment minister said last month:“There are tremendous opportunity for companies to invest in forestation projects. Investing in CDMs and forestation is like putting the money in a high interest bank account.”

CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANISMS PROJECT 1

Molinos Rio de La Plata

simultaneous generation of electricity and steam

Plant activity: production of raw soy oil and soy flower. Current production capacity is 17.500 tons per day.

CDM Project 2

Dehesa oil

Electricity generation from peanut and sun-flower shells biomass

DEHESA Share in the global oil market

• 7.8% soy oil• 13% peanut• 1.5% sunflower oil

DEHESA and BIODIESELQuotation from their own publicity:

• Environmental concern. The commitment undertaken by Aceitera General Deheza in preserving the environment was ratified by the United Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) when this organization certified the reduction in gas emissions that cause greenhouse effect in the industrial processes of the plants located in General Deheza.In this way, AGD became the first company in the food industry and one of the ten Argentine companies to obtain this certification, that shows the commitment with the environment preservation.

Ecofuel S.A. Ecofuel S.A. production begins in September 2007. Ecofuel S.A. is a biodiesel production plant located in Puerto General San Martín (Province of Santa Fe).

Source: http://www.agd.com.ar/en/home.htm

PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES OF BIOFUELS POLICIES IN THE EU

• Greenhouse Gas Saving• Security of Supply • Employment. Biofuels are claimed to bring

economic benefits to the EU by increasing employment, especially in rural areas, and to underdeveloped countries because they open new export markets.

Brief explanation of EU biofuel policies

EU DEMAND AND CERTIFICATIONS

“ the proposal creates the most comprehensive and sustainable system anywhere in the world for the certification of biofuels... “

• José Manuel Durão Barroso, speech to the European Parliament 28-01-08.

Climate Change and trade opportunities

"Friends, What only matters is to make businesses. Because the poor will continue to exist and of them will have to be care the NGOs (sic). And now the great business will come from the hand of biofuels. Once again behind the promises to solve the problems of climate change is hidden the only objective which is to take a great slice from the future businesses”

Round Table for Responsible Soy. Criteria proposal for GM and non-GM soybean biomass productionMAIN CRITERIA PROPOSED Responsible use of agrochemicals Responsible use of waterRespect for human rights, Responsible soil management.

SOYBEAN IN ARGENTINAOver a 40 M ha of agricultural lands, 25 M ht are dedicated to oil seeds and cereals

In 2007, 17 M ht were dedicated to GM soybean

In 2004 160.000.000 Lts of glyphosate and other herbicides, fungicides were applied

LOSS OF SOIL NUTRIENTS

ADVICE FROM EXPERTS: TO COPE WITH AGROFUELS DEMAND, ARGENTINA HAS TO DOUBLE THE USE OF FERTILIZERS FROM 3 to 6 Million Tons PER YEAR.

Deforestation in Argentina is six time higher than the world average. In the last 4 years it has increased 42%.

Reasons why GRR says that the Round Table’s main criteria cannot be

delivered:

DEFORESTATION

• There are studies showing the relation between soybean prices and deforestation. The pattern suggest that only conditions unfavourable in the long term for soybean production may stop or significantly reduce deforestation.

AGROCHEMICALS

• RR Soybean requires powerful herbicides, some of which are forbidden within the EU.

• The most widely used herbicide is a substance called glyphosate. It is impossible to reduce the amount of agrochemicals applied, as the quantity of resistant weeds and diseases are on the increase.

Water use and pollution

• The increase use of herbicides and agrochemicals is causing eutrophication in agricultural ponds and ground water.

• In 2004/5 Argentina produced 38,3 m T of soybean and with that more than 42.500 millions M3 were exported.

• Argentina is among the group of countries which are net exporters of virtual water, while most countries soybean buyers are water deficient

Greenhouse gas balances

“While biodiesel had an advantage over fossil fuels in that it absorbs CO2 while the plants from which it is produced are growing, it is probable that its carbon footprint is equal to or higher than that of fossil fuels due to high emissions from infrastructure and cultivation.”  

Jan Wright: Commissioner for the Environment, NZ

Argentina, March 2008:major food security crisis

GRR believes that humanity’s response to the climate and

environmental crisis should be:

• Technological fixes to climate change are not fit to take us all over this problem.

• We must work towards low-consumption, low-growth, and equitable developmental models for the North and the South alike.

www.grr.org.ar